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Shonenho, the Japanese Juvenile Law, is based on ideas of protection, love, and tolerance towards the juvenile offender. ... Punishment does not have a role within the Japanese juvenile system. Rather, Shonenho strives to reform the juvenile so that he can return to society as a fully functional member within a relatively short period of time. Looking at the low juvenile criminal and recidivism rates in Japan compared to other industrial nations, as well as the fact that the incidence of juvenile crime has decreased compared to when Shonenho was enacted in 1949, it is clear that Shonenho has proven effective.
Nevertheless, especially since the Kobe case in 1997 involving a juvenile who committed two murders and assaulted others, Japan has been contemplating revising Shonenho so that harsher penalties can be imposed on juvenile offenders. Such proposals have resulted from sharp criticism towards the current system that some people claim overprotects juvenile offenders. The two main proposals, introduced to the Japanese government by the leading political party, include allowing prosecutors to try juveniles and having a three-judge panel hear juvenile cases. The Japanese Diet will consider these proposals in the near future.
Approximate Word count = 929
Approximate Pages = 3.7
(250 words per page double spaced)
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